Guess Who Else Left Egypt with Israel
There was a righteous gentile that left Egypt together with Israel. In fact, by this act of love for Israel that person was not considered any longer a “gentile” but a part of Israel. Who was that person who left Egypt with Israel? The answer cannot be found in Exodus, nor in Torah, but in a historical book where it can be easily overlooked. We read from the Book of Chronicles thus,
And his wife Yehudiyah bore Yered the father of Gedor, and Chever the father of Socho, and Yequthi’el the father of Zanovach. And these were the sons of Bithyah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took. (1 Ch 4:18)
Daughter of Pharaoh in 1Ch 4:18 is identified in the Midrash with Mosheh’s adoptive mother. Her name, Bithyah, (her Egyptian name did not matter any longer) literally means “daughter of Yah“, because of her compassion and pity in saving the baby Mosheh.
Per the Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 1:3, Elohim said to her,
“You have called Mosheh your son, although he was not your son, therefore I will call you my daughter, although you are not my daughter.”
Bithyah is also identified with “his wife Yehudiyah” signifying that she became one of the tribes of Yehudah, leaving behind the idolatry of Egypt. The Midrash (Exodus Rabbah 18:3) also records that she was not affected by the ten plagues and was the only female firstborn of Egypt to survive.
The daughter of Pharaoh left her lifestyle of an Egyptian princess and became part of Israel; she became a Hebrew of Hebrews.
But she might have not been the only Egyptian that feared YHVH and left Egypt along with the mixed multitude (Exo 12:38) and with Israel (Exo 9:18-20). And later at Mount Sinai she entered into the Covenant with YHVH (Exo 19:5 and Exo 20:1-17).
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May we merit seeing the coming of our Mashiach speedily in our days!
Navah